2015-08-26 14.26.00

A Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railway worker was seriously injured after falling into a rocky creek bed near Flagler.

Emergency crews responded to a call just after 2pm Wednesday afternoon about worker who fell 7 to 8 feet off a railroad bridge and onto his back about a mile east of Cronwell St.

Knoxville Assistant Fire Chief Greg Higginbotham told KNIA/KRLS News extracting the victim was difficult and took a lot of manpower because of the loose rocks and steep angle of the area.

The worker, who was replacing ties on the bridge and wearing a safety harness at the time of the incident, suffered possible serious injuries to his head and back. He was taken by Mercy Two helicopter out of Knoxville to a hospital in Des Moines. The man’s name has not yet been released.

The Iowa State Patrol, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and Knoxville Fire and Rescue all responded to the call. Higginbotham wanted to thank BNSF and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office with their assistance in transporting emergency workers to the scene.